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Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Stereotypes will crash and burn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As I watched President-elect Barack Obama’s beautiful family take the stage Tuesday night, the other part of this huge historic moment came into view:
The nation will have a black first lady. We’ll see gorgeous little black girls cavorting about the White House lawn. In this country, paradigms shift and the culture changes through symbolism and theater: The mere sight of a black First Family will change perceptions about black women, about black children, about black families.
If Obama impressed the nation just by showing up at the debates speaking the Queen’s English, not lapsing into rhyme or rap, keeping his cool and answering questions intelligently, then his elegant and accomplished wife will surely impress with her style, her intellect and her devotion to her children. And aren’t those kids darling!
Stereotypes will crash and burn during an Obama administration.
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How assertive should Obama be before Jan. 20?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Barack Obama won’t be inaugurated until Jan. 20, 2009. President George Bush’s approval ratings of 20 percent are the lowest ever recorded for a president. The nation is fighting wars in two countries and a jittery world worries about financial and economic meltdown.
So what should Obama do now as president-elect? Should Obama stick to protocol, defer to the sitting president for the next two and a half months, while going about the business of interviewing and selecting appointees. Or do these times call for extraordinary actions — a president-elect stepping out front, making pronouncements on the issues of the day and pushing an agenda on financial and foreign fronts?
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